Real Madrid make second Liverpool star a ‘priority’ with Perez to offer star as ‘bargaining chip’
Real Madrid are looking to take Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister to the Bernabeu in the summer transfer window, according to reports.
The Reds are having an amazing season in the Premier League with Arne Slot’s men heading for a 20th English top-flight title.
Their 2-1 win over West Ham on Sunday has put them in an even more commanding position with Liverpool now 13 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal with six games to play.
There were rumours that Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk could be on the move in the summer but the former has now signed a new deal and the Liverpool captain is also set to do the same in the coming days.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is still set to sign for Real Madrid in the summer on a free transfer with other stars of Slot’s side now also in demand ahead of the transfer window.
Mac Allister – who has been instrumental to the Reds’ success – is also wanted by the La Liga giants with Spanish website Fichajes insisting that the Argentina international ‘has become one of Real Madrid’s priorities’.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and other board members are ‘keen on his profile, and the possibility of including players in the deal is being considered to convince the English club.’
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The report adds:
‘One of the names that has emerged as a bargaining chip is Arda Güler. The young Turkish talent, signed two summers ago with great expectations, has barely had opportunities to showcase his game under Carlo Ancelotti.
‘Constant injuries and stiff competition in midfield have limited his playing time, and a move away could allow the player to earn playing time at the highest level. Liverpool, always attentive to the youth market, would welcome his signing.
‘Despite Güler’s strong reputation, everything suggests his inclusion would not be enough to close the Argentine international’s transfer. Liverpool has invested in Mac Allister for the long term and is in no rush to part with him.
‘Therefore, Real Madrid is reportedly willing to add a significant sum to the deal, which could bring the two sides closer together. Talks, still in a preliminary phase, could accelerate in the coming weeks.’
Liverpool boss Slot admitted that it was a “big relief” to see Van Dijk’s winning goal against West Ham go into the back of the net after late pressure saw the Hammers equalise at Anfield.
Slot told a post-match press conference: “It was a big relief. Ali [Becker] made sure that they didn’t score earlier. They had multiple chances to score the 1-1 in the second half and unfortunately they scored one which they didn’t score but we scored.
“To be completely honest, I was expecting two minutes with three or four minutes of added time but all of a sudden seven minutes were added on with no time-wasting at all from both teams, which was a bit of a surprise for me.
“But OK, it helped because we scored a goal just before the extra-time and, of course, that was a relief because to me it felt after West Ham scored and the way the second half went, it was maybe more that you could expect them scoring.
“But our fans and our players thought differently because from the moment they scored the 1-1, we started playing again, we started pressing again, the fans were really loud at that moment of time.
“Already the chance from Lucho [Diaz], some counter-press moments which led to the corner kick and then we saved a big set-piece for a very important moment because in the modern game of football set-pieces are that important, and that’s what we saw today again as well.”
